Random Acts of "Kindness"

Archive for November, 2023

I CAN DO IT

My mantra: LORD, WITH YOUR HELP, I can do it. My son was leaving for a well-deserved vacation — a cruise. Robin and I were staying home. I spent the summer with Robin in the country. I wasn’t worried except in the country I was able to travel. When I went shopping I could back the car up to the steps and unload it. Carefully transfer the purchases up the stairs, into the trailer. I could load dirty clothes into the car and drive to the Launder mat.

CITY–I could drive to the stores. I had to get the purchases out of the car in the garage, through the back yard and up the stairs. Before my son left, I went shopping and loaded up on the food I thought I would use. But I eat a lot of salads and I ran out. I went shopping to a store close to the house. I paid attention to the weight of the purchases. Before my son left, I had not planned on cooking for Thanksgiving, PLANS CHANGED WHEN MY OLDEST DAUGHTER AGREED TO COME FOR DINNER. I looked at the hams, but I realized what I needed was too heavy for me to get into the house. I decided to wait to buy the ham. I still had to transfer my purchases into three bags. I was able to get two bags inside when I returned, the third waited until the next day.

I washed my clothes before my son left but he was gone for 10 days. I DID NOT WANT HIM TO HELP ME WITH LAUNDRY WHEN HE CAME HOME. I found a net bag and tossed the clothes down from the second floor. I tossed the clothes down into the basement and carefully navigated the stairs. The net bag worked perfectly for getting clothes down, WASHED, DRYED, and back up. I practiced tossing. I didn’t want the weight to throw off my balance. A few years ago, balance issues caused me to fall. Robin was crying at the door upstairs when I came up. Was she worried?

I planned meals before he left and had needed food in the upstairs freezer. I thought I would order out but that didn’t happen. I made some of the food he didn’t care to eat, and many things that he would not eat. I had ahi tuna and totally enjoyed POKE.

I paid attention to plans for the day. Enjoyed reading and talked myself out of climbing. I took advantage of warmer days and cleaned up the back yard. I have a long staff that belonged to my husband and took him outside with me.

Our foyer was a mess of art bags all over the floor. I planned to organize it. Now there is an empty floor that we can easily walk on. I found 18 empty cloth bags stored, three yoga mats. Bags are going to a new home. So is a matt. I pulled some of the art supplies out to share with my grandchildren. ART MIGHT BE IN MY FUTURE. I have more than enough!

ALL IN ALL I WAS VERY PROUD OF MYSELF. I DID IT! I WILL ADMIT THAT I USED MY MANTRA MANY TIMES EACH DAY.

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WISDOM

A friend of mine keeps remarking that I lead on interesting life. AND I DO. Thankfully when my father passed in 1995, he sent me a sign that he was alright. AND SO, HE IS! After his passing I went to school to learn how to recognize HELP from the other side. Both stories are in print. TO PAP WITH LOVE, is the story of my life with a father whose memory deteriorated because of Alzheimer’s. JOURNEY WITH ME is the story I wrote of my classes. Both books are still available. I HAVE NOT GRADUATED. I AM STILL LEARNING. Now my husband has joined my family topside, and he adds to my education.

Since I’m home, I’m able to attend Mass on television. Yesterday the homily was WISDOM. The priest summed up his talk by suggesting that we remember the things we have learned and pass them on to others. And it made me think. Often, I take things at face value and don’t see the deeper meaning behind the events.

I have to admit that just happened. My youngest daughter’s birthday is this week. She was going to stop by our house before going home. She mentioned that she was thinking of trying to make gluten free bread in her bread machine. I’m aware that I often have help from the other side. I was not surprised that a gluten free bread book was posted at Amazon. Also posted was an anthology – Mrs. Jeffries Sallies Forth. I am a fan of Mrs. Jeffries and will admit that I have read ALL 41 of her books. I have been retreating to OLD ENGLAND to escape our world. Having 3 stories in one book sounded good to me. And I placed my order. I had been thinking of getting the first book in the series for my daughter.

Thursday night I received the bread book, I also received Mrs. Jeffries GHOST, the third book in the series. WHAT? HOW? WHY? That was not what I ordered. I checked the order, somehow it changed from the book I order to GHOST! To say that I wasn’t happy is an understatement. I WAS NOT QUIET about the mistake. Thankfully a phone call the next morning got me the book I wanted. I decided to keep GHOST, read it and give it to my daughter. I’m not a fast reader, I don’t skim but I finished the book by Friday night, all 11 chapters. The last sentence gave me laugh.

I planned to wrap it for my daughter’s birthday. But I had the bread book too. I also had a digital scale so that she could weigh the ingredients. Then the Anthology arrived and the packaging was big enough to hold all three items. Sunday morning, I attended Mass. Sunday afternoon one and one made two. I wrote a note to my daughter telling her that GHOST was a gift from her DAD. He was able to change the book from the one I ordered to GHOST. Her father is very TALENTED.

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THANK YOU FOR THE ROSES

Halloween — a time of the year with many memories. Many are excellent, others are sad. On Oct 30, 2019 my husband went home to celebrate with some of his family. Oct 31, 2019, 3 1/2 inches of snow fell in Chicago. This year only 9 tenths of an inch of snow fell. I have to admit that I didn’t decorate. I don’t remember the last year we put out pumpkins and spiders.

Since this is the fourth year of his passing, I thought it would be EASIER. Who was I kidding? Sadly, I fell into a black hole and COULD NOT get myself out. It didn’t matter what I did or didn’t do. The world situation hasn’t helped — war, violence, politics. I have been avoiding television, especially THE NEWS. I’m not burying my head in the sand like an ostrich but other than pray, which I do, there is nothing I can do and adding to my stress doesn’t seem to be the way to go.

Sadly, when I’m depressed the memories that surface are not happy. Anything that is hurtful rises from the gloom. I do my best to chop off the heads of the invading thoughts, try to find happy places. Sometimes it works, often it doesn’t. Sometimes writing helps. I have been there many times before. Thankfully I have finally surfaced. I have no idea what worked.

I know many people who have lost their mates find new ones. They are lonely and need an arm to hold on to. I have NO DESIRE TO DO THAT. My husband was a GOOD MAN and I miss him. If he had been a drunk, a gambler, or a scoundrel, I might not be as sad.

Thankfully I live an interesting life and his spirit is often reminding me that he is here.

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BOTANICAL GARDEN FALL 23

Even though I have a membership, I had only visited the GARDEN one time this year, blooming of the crab apple trees. Easy to explain since I’ve spent many weeks in the country. The weather forecast was for sunny skies, warmer than usual. I decided that it would be good for me to go. Since I have come home, I’ve tried to reclaim our home. I’ve made some progress but more needs to be done. And I decided it could wait.

I planned to leave at 10, after the rush hour traffic. Robin hadn’t eaten her dinner on Monday and she was pesty. I decided to feed her before I left. She was HUNGRY. She ate almost all of it without any fussing. Traffic was still heavy. I knew that the forecast of 80 degree weather would bring crowds to the GARDEN and I was right. Thankfully I now have a handicapped placard that would allow me to park closer if I found a spot. THANKFULLY I DID.

I thought I had planned for the day. I had; I wore a hat that had a string to keep it from blowing off my head. I had a case with my membership card and a credit card so I could get food. I had a bottle of water and a couple of cough drops. I had a vest that I could carry everything in and not take my purse. I had my cane. I DID NOT HAVE FOOD OR PAIN PILLS.

Thankfully my knees were behaving but I decided to sit down every 30 minutes and rest for at least 10. ENJOY THE DAY. I thought I would visit the Old English Garden and the Japanese Garden. I only took a half bottle of water, planning to refill it. It would be lighter. I have to admit that I sat down more than I used to. And of course, when I sat down, I would drink my water.

I reached the rose garden when I decided to refill my bottle. Roses were still blooming. The fountains had already been turned off. One was filled with mums. The great lawn was empty of flowering plants. The GARDEN was preparing for Winter Lights and cold weather. The Bonsa was packed and the greenhouses were closed. An 80 degree day at the end of October had not been expected.

As I walked over to fill my water bottle, I saw a beautiful tree in its Fall colors that called my name. It was in a part of the GARDEN that I hadn’t visited in a few years. I always ended my visit by going down the wilderness path but since my knees have been acting up, I haven’t gone there. TODAY WAS THE DAY!

Over the years, I have sat down on the benches near the path, admiring the crab apple trees. Today I was able to direct two gentlemen to the bells. I was sitting by the path they should take to get to the bridge. One of the gentlemen mentioned he was suffering from neuropathy, and I mentioned Terry’s Naturally Herbal Feet and Nerves that has been of such benefit to me. I was tempted to walk the path, all the way to the end but I noticed the time. Leaving late, sitting and enjoying the day, the time sped by. I DID NOT WANT TO BE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I walked a short way, took a few photos and remembered the many times I have enjoyed the path with my husband and daughter. GOOD MEMORIES

I didn’t have a map with me, but I thought I could return a different way. Thankfully the GARDEN has many benches for sitting and I wandered toward the exit. I was surprised to see crocus in bloom. They are a spring flower but there they were. Since I have spent so many years wandering the GARDEN, I didn’t have much trouble. I would have LOVED to stop and get something to eat but I didn’t want to get stuck in traffic. IT WAS A LOVELY DAY! I paid attention to the traffic and headed for the streets before it jammed up. I stopped for hot dog buns for dinner. I wanted to EAT, NOT COOK.

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